In communication networks, such as telecommunication networks, a call or a service often involves, on the one hand, a control plane or signalling plane and, on the other hand, a user plane. The control plane or signalling plane is in charge of establishing and managing a connection between two points on the network. The user plane or media plane is in charge of transporting the user data.
In this context, network operators often want to define and enforce a set of rules in the network. A set of rules constitutes policies. A policy framework for managing and enforcing these policies usually includes at least three elements, or functions: a policy repository for storing the policy rules which may be user-specific, a policy decision element, function or point, and a policy enforcement element, function or point. The purposes of a policy framework include controlling subscriber access to the networks and services.
A policy framework notably addresses the decisions as to whether the subscriber is entitled, or authorized, to enjoy a service, a QoS, and whether the network can provide the service to the subscriber.
Policy and charging control architectures, such as, but not limited to, the architecture described in 3GPP TS 23.203 v8.1.1 (2008-03), Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects, Policy and charging control architecture (Release 8) (available on http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/2008-03/Rel-8/23_series/), integrate the policy and charging control. The policy and charging control (PCC) architecture permits to integrate both policy and charging control thus optimizing the information flow, however it suffers from several disadvantages as later explained.
Moreover, mobile operators are interested in being able to perform policy decisions and to enforce policies based on location of user equipments. Prior art techniques like the one above cited suffer from several disadvantages like lack of simplicity of implementation or lack of flexibility. Furthermore, prior art techniques are known for requiring a large amount of signalling, thus increasing the load of the network, especially when the location of user equipments needs to be monitored. Prior art solutions are furthermore difficult to configure, to maintain and to adapt to the need of operators.
It is desirable to provide methods, network entities, systems and computer programs to improve policy and charging control architectures and implementations, notably by allowing more flexibility without increasing the implementation and architecture complexity also in those situations wherein the policy and charging is performed depending on the location of a user.